Description
This Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) recipe features tender, marinated chicken thigh fillets infused with lemongrass, garlic, and authentic Thai flavors, grilled to a perfect golden brown. Served with aromatic coconut rice and traditional dipping sauces, it offers a delicious and fragrant meal that brings the taste of Thailand right to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (skinless, boneless)
- 1 large lemongrass stalk, white part only, sliced 5mm / 1/5″ thick
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled (whole)
- 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce or any all-purpose soy or tamari
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp tightly packed brown sugar or palm sugar
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or any neutral flavoured oil)
Accompaniments
- Nam Jim Jaew (traditional Thai dipping sauce for meat, recommended)
- Lime sweet chilli sauce
- Bottle of sweet chilli sauce
- Lime wedges
- Red chili, finely sliced (optional)
- Cilantro / coriander leaves (optional)
- Coconut rice
Instructions
- Blitz: Place all marinade ingredients except the oil into a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until the lemongrass and garlic are fully pureed. If you don’t have a stick blender, finely grate the lemongrass and garlic, then mix thoroughly.
- Marinate: Pour the pureed mixture into a bowl, add the oil, and stir well to combine. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat them thoroughly with the marinade. Cover and marinate overnight for best results; if short on time, marinate for at least 3 hours. Alternatively, finely slice the chicken, toss it in the marinade, and cook it like a stir-fry.
- Heat the Grill or Pan: Preheat your outdoor BBQ grill on high or heat a non-stick pan over high heat on the stove.
- Cook the Chicken: Remove chicken pieces from the marinade and discard the leftover marinade. Place the chicken on the BBQ or pan, then immediately reduce the heat to medium to prevent the sweet marinade from burning. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. If the chicken starts to burn, flip it immediately; you can flip multiple times as needed for even cooking.
- Rest and Serve: Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes after cooking. Serve alongside a mound of steaming coconut rice with lime wedges. Garnish with fresh sliced chilies and coriander or cilantro leaves, and offer Nam Jim Jaew or sweet chili sauces on the side for dipping.
Notes
- If you don’t have a stick blender, finely grate lemongrass and garlic to achieve a similar marinade texture.
- Marinating overnight intensifies flavors, but a minimum of 3 hours is acceptable.
- Discard marinade before grilling to prevent flare-ups; if baking, refer to alternative safe cooking methods for marinade usage.
- Use a neutral oil for marinating to avoid altering the delicate Thai flavor profile.
- Optionally garnish with fresh chili and cilantro for extra aroma and color.
- Serving with coconut rice helps balance the savory and sweet elements of the dish.
